Timer.



F. G. HBRSEE.

TIMER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY \3, 1914.

Patented Feb. l, lele.

FREDERICK C. HERSEE, 0F ROSLINDALE, MASSACHUSETTS.

TIMER.

, Application filed July 13, 1914. `Serial No'. 850,809.

' To all whom it may' concern Be' it known that I, Fnuonulori C. HERSEE, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Roslindale, county of Suffolk, Commonf wealth of. Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Timers, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings'representing like''partsl in each of the several views.

The present invention 'relates to timers for vinternal combustion engines of the type l wherein arotating contact comes into wipllng engagement 'with anseries of relatively fixed contacts spacedsapart'around lthe orbit v of its path of movement.

A prime objectvof the invention is to provide a timex-.of this character that is simple and cheapto construct :ineffective wipingcontaet adapted to.pre sent a fresh contacting surface at each engagcment along with sufficient friction ac- `tion against the coperatingcontact to make the electrical connection reliable.

A further vobject is tion .of timer casing,

to provide a construepreferably by pressing the same to the required contour from sheet or plate material.

The above and other objects and features of the invention will be better understood from the following. detailed descriptionv taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and will be thereafter pointed out in the appended claims. v

Referring to the drawings-Figure 1 shows an end View with parts broken away in section ofmy invention in one embodiment thereof; Fig. 2 is a central lengthwise section through the form shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an end view with a part sectioned away showing a slightly modified form of housing holding the .stationary contact-s; Fig. 4 is a similar view showing another modified form; and Fig. 5 is a lengthwise vertical section through the form of the invention shown in Fig. 4.

'Rcferring to Figs. 1 and 2, the timer housing 10 is shownA as of a usual part-cylindrical, part-conical formation with the timer shaft 11 vmounted concentrieally therein. In this housing are mounted a series, shown as four of equally spaced apart radial con# taets. Each of these contacts as shown cousists in a metallic ball 12 slidably fitted in Specication of Letters Patent.

`threaded into a hole in ,pressed outward.

and equipped with bearing the stationary insulating contacts that may be very cheaply Y and easily produced lpresented Patented Feb. 16, 1915.

a barrel 13, the inner endof which is inturnedas seen at 14 to hold .the ball while permitting' itV to project somewhat therefrom. The exterior of this barrel is threaded and fitted withinan insulating bushing -15 which may be of hard fiber or others'uitable material, this bushing'` being in turn the housing. The outer end of 'housing 13 is closed by a threadcdcap 16 which serves 'as abacking for a spring 17 contained in the housing and acting on the ball 12 to lfeep it normally ln accordance with my invention I form the `movable rotating contact for coper- 'ationwith the balls 12 as a mushroom, or

button 18 having a convex head and a stem 19 fitted in aeollar socket 20 extending radially from a. sleeve. 21 vfixed to the shaft 11. As best shown in Fig. 2the mushroom contact 1S is so mounted relatively to the balls 12 that it engages the same,in.some

what eccentric relation wherefrom it results` that as the convex surfaces of the ball and of the mushroom head engage each other, the mushroom head being free to turn is moved around somewhat at each contact presenting a fresh surface at each 'successive engagement, and the ball is also turned oppositely to the mushroom, to some little eX- tent so that a different portion thereof is at each contact with the mush# room. BY reason of the peculiar partly sidewise engagement of the ball with the mushroom head the ballsare so turned that all the diilerent vparts thereof are successively presented in operative position so that the wear is substantially even all around the same. stood that 'from the nature of ,this interengagcment between the mushroom head and 4he balls 12, while the head 1S and the ball pressed thereagainst, are turned somewhat each time as described. there will be at the same time, an appreciable degree of rub- -bing engagement between the contact elc- It will be further undcr- I free of the collar 20, this ball end 34 pressf y 5 black 3,5 interposed between the spring 17 am the ball so that the turning of the ball is nit interfered with by the spring but is 1'elat`\ely free, being Apressed on only bythe face of the disk 32h` Since the'mushroom s vhead ..8-and the contact balls12 are the only elements that undergo wear and hence require renewal, it is important that these be easil;v replaceable." Tol permit such convenient femoval andreneua'l of the mushtherefor transverse pin 22, Which may be driveninto a hole 'in the socket 20 positionedA so that itpasses through one side of an an.

nular recees formedin the stem 19. Thus by 'merely mocking utthe holding pin 22, the mushrt om head may be removed and replaced very quickly and easily. It will be understood hat the 'balls 12 can also be instantly remt ved and replaced merely by un` screwing ,the caps 1 64-5-1 j.- 1 -Y Fig. 3 l how va form of the invention wherein the housing 10 'is formed so as to be easily -anf` Acheaply pressed or molded from sheet or plate stock. In this form of the invention thehousing ma lbe Vthinner than inthe fonn describe the peripheral rim flange 24ewhich. this form has in common with tl e just described form, af-` fording the requisite rigidity.' In this form 3 5 .of housin 'I press 1n collar sockets 25 from A`the material ofthe housing around the contact holes so' as to 'make an extended area into which the insulating bushings 15 may be threaded. In this way a thinner and 40 lighter housing is osibleiwithout' any sacrifice in the way o rigidity or strength. In theform of the invention shoyn in Figs` 4 and 5, another means for4 permitting. the

use of relatively thin stock in the housingis exhibited.` In this form, the housing 10" has Unthreaded holes 26 for thecont-act plugs through which nipples 27 from an insulating ring 28 ma) bem'olded, this ring being of any suitable material for the purpose which may be `'he hard fiber product 'kriown as condensibe In this case.the

nipples Q7 and ring f:8 have radial bores 29 into which the contact plugs 13 are threaded. Any suitable means may be employed for fixing the sleeve 21 :t the end ofthe timer shaft 11. As shown the threaded end of the timer shaft is slotted as indicated at 30 to receive a transverse pin 31 which is transversely fixed by a fiarge collar 32 at the end of the sleeve 2l, and a nut 33 threaded on the shaft end is adapt ad to be set up to hold the parts assembled.

I am aware that the invention can be elnbodied in other specifi;` forms as toits sev- 66 eral details and I ther aforedesire the presroom 'head at 1S I employ asiholding means -contacting portion.

ent showing to be considered as illustrative and'not restrictive, referring rather to the appended claims to indicate the scope thereof.l Y

Having described my invention, what I' claim as neuandV desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A tinier, comprising relatively fixed contacts, a mounting therefor, and a revoluble contact mounted to engage said'stationary contacts, said revoluble contact consisting in a member mounted to turn on an axis radial of its axis of revolution and out of Aline ivith said stationauvcontacts whereby a turning thereof occurs ateach contact to present constantly-changing fres'h contact portions.

2. A timer, comprising a plurality of relatively fixed conta cts., a housing therefor', and a revoluble Contact having ashaftmountinggsaid revoluble contact consisting in a mushroom member extending radially of Said shaft with its axis vout of line with the line of contactwith said stationary contacts wherebyit is 'turned eachtime .it engages Asaid stationary contacts to present a4 fresh 3. A. timer,l comprising relatively fixed contacts, a housing therefor, a revoluble contact having a shaft mounting to'be revolved into engagement with said stationary contacts, said revoluble contact consisting in contacts consisting in spaced apart springA pressed balls, a housing therefor, and a revoluble contact having a shaft mounting, said revoluble contact consisting in a. mushroom member extending radially of said shaft with its axis out of line with the line of contact with said balls,`whereby it and vthe ball contacted are turned at each contact to present fresh contacting portions.

5. A timer, comprising relatively` fixed contacts, each consisting ina ball with spring back of the same to press it forward to operative position and an' interposed block bearing on the ball, a mounting therefor, and a shaft having a revoluble contact carried thereby for engagement with saidfixed contacts, said revoluble contact extending radially of the shaft and in position toengage said balls back and laterally of Y their most projected portions.

6. A timer, comprising a serie; of rela tively -fixed contacts, a mounting therefor, and a shaft having a revoluble contact carfied thereby for engagement with said fixed contacts, said revoluble Contact consisting in a member mounted to rotate on an axis radial of the shaft, and to engage the stationary .contacts at a distance from its axis of rotation, said revoluble contact having at its inner end a reduced rounded head adapted to receive the thrust of contact making and to serve as a bearing therefor.

7. A timer, comprising a series of relatively fixed contacts, each consisting in a ball with a spring back of the same to press -it forward to operative position and an 1nterposed block bearing on the ball, a mounting therefor, and' a' shaft having a revoluble contact carried thereby for engagement with said fixed contacts, saidrevoluble' con# tact consisting in 4a mushroom member exe' tending radially of said shaft with a reduced rounded end having bearing against the shaft, the axis of :laid mushroom member being out of line with the line of contact with said stationary contacts whereby it and the balls constituting said stationary contacts are turned at each engagement to present fresh contacting portions.

8. A timer, comprisin a series of fixed contacts, a housing there or formed of plate material with spaced apart holes for'the contact plugs having inturned sleeves constituting extended socket areas for said plugs, and a revoluble contact moimted to engage said stationary contacts.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two Asubscribing lWitnesses.

' FREDERICK C. HERSEE.

Witnesses:

M. R. HARRIS,

SOLOMAN A, (.xrrissLL. 

